By: Ben Hanak, eCommerce Performance Specialist
Mistake #1 (The Biggest One):
Having a Poor Customer Service Mindset
Coming from the automotive dealership world, I carried over a bad habit — treating customer interactions like interruptions. In the parts department, it was normal to feel like every phone call or walk-up customer was “in the way” of getting through the day. Counterpeople are constantly juggling: service tech requests, wholesale calls, retail customers, and internal demands. Adding a new eCommerce platform into that mix felt like one more burden.
Then came the first order notification — ding! — a sale! Exciting, until we realized the customer ordered a 110-inch brake line for a Ram truck. We thought, “We can’t ship that! It’ll be damaged or cost too much.” So we canceled it and moved on.
That was the wrong move.
We didn’t know about eBay’s seller performance standards. The next day brought more orders, and again, we canceled — a windshield this time — thinking it couldn’t be shipped safely. Without realizing it, each canceled order was damaging our account’s standing.
And worse, we never once contacted the customer. We didn’t understand the importance of communication — getting the customer to initiate cancellations, managing expectations, or finding creative solutions.
Before long, our eBay account was suspended, and it took five years (and the help of an incredible consultant) to rebuild our credibility. Eventually, we rebounded and grew that business to over $50K per month — all because we shifted to a “customer first” mindset.
Mistake #2:
Listing the Entire Catalog — Including Parts with Zero Quantity on Hand
Adding to the early customer service struggles, I made another costly mistake — listing every single SKU from our catalog, even the ones with zero quantity in stock.
At the time, I thought more listings meant more sales. I didn’t realize how critical it was to use the settings that hide or restrict out-of-stock parts from being listed. This oversight created massive problems across all of our selling channels.
Orders were coming in for parts we didn’t actually have. To fulfill them, we’d have to special order from the manufacturer — often resulting in long wait times that customers weren’t willing to accept. That led to cancellations, which tanked both our eBay seller standards and our Google Store rating.
Worse, it started affecting our physical operations. When we did bring in special-order parts for canceled orders, those parts became obsolete inventory, taking up shelf space and tying up funds we’d set aside for return allowances. Before long, our inventory was bloated, inefficient, and costly to manage.
Looking back, if we’d understood the importance of accurate inventory management and channel synchronization, we could have provided a much better customer experience while saving ourselves the wasted effort and money.
Mistake #3:
Lack of Customer Communication and Engagement
As our business began to grow, so did the number of phone calls and emails — customers asking about orders, parts fitment, and sometimes even “how do I fix my car?” questions.
But just like in Mistake #1, we viewed these interactions as annoyances instead of opportunities. We pushed them to the back burner, thinking we didn’t have time for constant communication. What we didn’t realize was that every missed call or ignored email represented a missed sale and a lost relationship.
At the time, we were struggling to make enough gross profit to cover the growing expenses of our webstore and other sales channels. Our lack of engagement was holding us back in a competitive market where responsiveness and trust mean everything.
Fortunately, under the guidance of our RevolutionParts consultants, we completely changed our approach. We implemented clear customer service standards — responding to all emails within 24 hours, returning calls and voicemails promptly, and adding a live chat widget monitored by knowledgeable agents using Managed Services.
Once we embraced communication as a core part of our business, everything changed. Our eCommerce department grew rapidly, becoming one of the top-rated and top-selling websites for our brand in the country. What started as a side project turned into a thriving, stand-alone business within the dealership — generating the profit we needed not just to sustain operations, but to truly thrive.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, customer service is everything. Success in eCommerce — and in any part of the automotive business — comes down to building strong relationships and treating customers the way you would want to be treated, whether it’s online, at the counter, or in the service lane.
Communication, transparency, and honesty are the foundation. When you make it easy for customers to do business with you — with as little friction as possible — you create trust. That trust builds lasting relationships, and those relationships drive a successful business and a web presence that customers can rely on.
Need help turning these insights into action? Our team is here to support you: reach out to your Customer Success Manager, who will guide you on best practices, features, and services tailored to your journey.
